Novak, the New Prince of Monaco

I am by no means a fan of Novak Djokovic, but I must admit I take pleasure in witnessing a Nadal defeat on his beloved clay, so I kinda back the Serb whenever he goes head-to-head with the Spaniard on this surface. 

In recent years, Novak was one of the few players to post wins over Nadal on red dirt, so it should come as no surprise that he was the one who ended Rafa's extraordinary 8-eight reign in Monte Carlo. An extraterrestrial 46 match winning streak came to an end on Sunday when Nadal lost 2-6,6-7 to an inspired Djokovic, who has now beaten the Spaniard in every clay-court Masters 1000 final. There is still one major crown he did not claim though, and that's the French Open. He came close to completing a career Grand Slam last year, but he eventually failed to overcome Nadal.

Djokovic's performance in Monte Carlo is even more impressive as he was extremely close to pulling out due to the ankle injury he sustained during the Davis Cup tie with the United States this past weekend. He decided to tough it out though and it eventually paid off. He found his best form when he needed it the most, wrapping up a glorious week with his 14th Masters 1000 title: "I didn't know I would be a part of the tournament this year ... (it's) the best decision I ever made in my life,'' Djokovic said. "If somebody told me 10 days ago I'd be winning the trophy, I wouldn't think it's so realistic, to be honest," the Serb said. "I couldn't ask for a better start to the clay season."

The result could have an interesting impact on Roland Garros, a tournament Djokovic is desperately wanting to win. Nadal completed a stunning comeback, but he is yet to reach the same level of  consistency he had before the injury. He showed that during Indian Wells, as well as during the mouth-watering clash with Grigor Dimitrov this week, when it was only his fighting spirit and experience that got his through. I think this is a big concern going into the French Open, as he would have to sustain the same high intensity for a gruelling fortnight. Djokovic on the other side is still collecting the biggest titles, though he also has lapses that could prove costly against an inspired opponent. It is still pretty early to be talking about the French, but Djokovic definitely has the edge over Nadal at this moment and the win in Monte Carlo will surely prove a huge confidence booster.

Proud Djokovic celebrates a big moment in his career, having beaten all time great, Rafael Nadal, to claim his first Monte Carlo crown. Novak ended the Spaniard's extraterrestrial 8-year reign by winning 6-2,7-6.

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Robredo Back From the Grave

In a period when the top players are taking time off to properly prepare for the long clay-court season leading to Roland Garros, Spaniard Tommy Robredo wrote a sensational comeback story in Casablanca, where he claimed his 10th red dirt crown.
Once a top 10 contestant, Robredo has struggled in recent years, falling out of the limelight in 2010. Things took a turn for the worse last season, when the former world No. 5 saw his ranking go down as far as No. 471 following an extensive leg injury that sidelined him for more than five months. Thus, just when everyone was expecting him to throw in the towel, Tommy showed he still has plenty of gas left in the tank, stunning the first two seeds to cap a memorable week in Morocco. The Spaniard recovered from a terrible start to overcome top seeded Swiss, Stanislas Wawrinka, 1-6,6-3,6-2 in the semis, before defeating the second seeded South African, Kevin Anderson, 7-6,4-6,6-3 in the final. The win marks his first trophy in two years, his last success coming in 2011 in Santiago.

"I have been practising very well during a month in Barcelona before coming here,” said Robredo. “I knew that I could play a good tournament here and you never know what can happen. I went match by match and kept winning. Today, I was pretty nervous since this is very important for me. I really wanted to win this.

“I'm very happy to win a title again after my injury. It's just great! Those points will help me a lot in the ranking. The goal is to arrive in Roland Garros in the best form possible. After that I will sit down and have a look at my goals.”

Robredo, a former fourth time quarterfinalist at the French Open, will look to maintain his winning streak going into Paris, although Rafael Nadal, world No.1, Novak Djokovic, or clay-court specialists David Ferrer, Nicolas Almagro, will surely stand in his way.

Robredo completed a stunning comeback from a lengthy injury to claim his 10th clay court crown. He defeated South African Kevin Anderson 7-6,4-6,6-3 to win the title in Casablanca.

photos (top-down): ?, AP

Serena Restores Reign over Miami

Serena Williams did not have the beginning of the season she was hoping for, but the American did enough to take over the world number 1 ranking from an injured Victoria Azarenka, becoming thus the oldest female in the history of the game to hold the top spot. 

After a flourishing debut in Brisbane, Serena battled a series of injuries that prevented her from playing her best tennis. She lost early in Melbourne, succumbed to Vika in the final of Doha, then withdrew last minute from Dubai. She took a few weeks to regroup, then made a winning return in Miami, one of her favourite venues, where she captured a record sixth crown.

Although I feel she lost a bit from her invincibility aura, the American has been in great form throughout the fortnight, battling her way against some inspired opponents to lift her 49th career title. Serena also showed her trademark fighting spirit, coming from behind to dispose of Slovak Dominika Cibulkova in the fourth round, before surviving a tough two-setter against Australian Open finalist, Na Li, in the quarterfinals. She followed that up with a convincing 6-3,6-0 win over defending champion, Agnieszka Radwanksa. In the final, she continued her dominance over Russian Maria Sharapova, regrouping after the loss of the first set to finish strongly, winning the encounter 4-6,6-3,6-0. This was her eleven straight victory over Maria, who has now lost five finals at Key Biscayne.

The American now sets her sights on the clay-court season where she is hoping to defend titles at Charleston and Madrid. She has lots of points to protect, so it will be interesting to see if she can hold on to her No.1 spot, especially as Azarenka has been in invincible mode this year.

Serena has always felt at home in Miami, and this year she broke the record for most titles at the event, beating Maria Sharapova 4-6,6-3,6-0 to win her sixth crown. The Russian has now lost 11 straight matches to Williams and five finals in Miami.

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The 2013 Spring Fashion Scoop

The beginning of the 2013 season might have belonged to Adidas, which shone bright with its hip yellow and grey garments, but the spring saw a reversal of fortune in the clash of the titans. Nike upped its game, got rid of the heavy orange and purple clothes, and showcased some cool, fresh attire. The hideous combination was replaced with some really cool mixtures of white, turquoise and neon yellow, Serena's outfit being just the best example of this new direction. While witnessing Nike flourish, I got a bit worried about the latest AdiZero line, mainly because I find the blue azul, i.e. the replacer of the yellow, a rather unfortunate colour to dominate the collection. Fila introduced the 'Carwash' madness, a rather unfortunate project if you ask me. Taking all these stupid risks has not paid off, so guys, it's time to reconsider. The brand did a good job while sticking to its conservative roots, so probably that what it should be doing moving forward. 

When it comes to the big names, Venus continues to produce some stunning pieces for her EleVen line, while Russian fashionista, Maria Sharapova, is still struggling to regain her credentials. Roger Federer is also making poor fashion choices, signalling that the Fedwork is not quite 'orange' at the moment. 

Serena Williams - NIKE

This is actually one of my favourite dresses so far this season. While the previous version looked heavy and almost kitschy, this one is the complete opposite. It is fresh, vibrant, young and extremely hip. I love the colour combo, the white looking stunning with those neon yellow and blue touches. Serena's garment is surely the fashion hit of the spring.

Roger Federer - NIKE 'RF' Group

Since the start of the season, Federer has been struggling to find his best form and this is reflected also in his poor fashion choices. To be honest, this garment is becoming a bit dated (having worn it since the 2012 Olympics), plus the orange seems like a really unfortunate colour selection. The Fedwork is not so Orange lately.

Maria Sharpova - NIKE 'Maria Sharapova' Group

Oh my, oh my. I am really getting tired of seeing these extremely unflattering outfits on Sharapova. The Russian diva continues to make the same mistake and refuses to learn her lesson. Maria, these clothes are too sporty, too tied to your body, plus the design is boring, mass-market like. Your signature line does not have the star quality you are after. Please go back to those flowy, princessy outfits that established you as a true tennis fashionista.

For me, Venus Williams is the epitome of a tennis fashionista. She knows what to wear and how to wear her outfits. Having delivered so many memorable pieces throughout the years, the American has toned down her style recently in what I believe to be an attempt to make her line more accessible to the wider public. However, she does an excellent job at coming up with fresh ideas, wearing something cool and innovative every time she steps onto the court. The dress she wore in Miami is yet another hit, mainly due to the crazy print and the vibrant colours that look so good in contrast with her dark skin tone. 

Ana Ivanovic - AdiZero

I was a huge fan of this year's AdiZero collection. The bright yellow and the faded grey mixture looked stunning, creating the bigger trend Down Under. However, I am not sure the blue azul and the yellow go so well together. I feel like this combo takes something away from the hip and cool vibe of the collection. Sorry guys, it really doesn't work for me.

Flavia Pennetta - AdiZero

Although this is not exactly a new outfit, it's the first time we've seen Pennetta wear it, so that makes it a fashion novelty. The Italian has been battling a persistent injury that sidelined her for several months, but she's now back, looking sharp as ever and hoping to regain her place in the women's elite. All the best Flavia, and nice to have you back!

Caroline Wozniacki - Adidas by Stella McCartney

During the years, I had mixed feelings about Stella McCartney's line. Sometimes it is top notch, but other times it can score some big fashion faux pas (just remember the horrible 'Raffles' dress). The 2013 collection has been sensational though and this Wozniacki is no exception. The only small critic I would have is that the yellow and black together are a bit dated, especially coming from Adidas, so I would probably replace the black skirt with a white one.

Julia Goerges - FILA

Nadia Petrova - FILA

Jelena Jankovic - FILA

This spring Fila has introduced the so-called 'Carwash' dress. According to the manufacturer, "what look like pleats are really strips of fabric that sway and bounce as you move on court, just like the carwash before it went touch free." I honestly don't like the model. It looks too elaborated, resembling more like an art craft project than a tennis attire. Plus, the crazy pinks and blues only add to the heaviness of the outfits. Although they are not the biggest fashion brand, Fila is usually doing a decent job with its garments. However, recently they are pushing the envelope too far, and they have introduced all sorts of weird elements in their line. It started with the infamous costume Kim Clijsters wore during her final US Open and it continues with this Carwash craziness and the not-so-good-looking pink ombre in Jankovic's dress.

Agnieszka Radwanska - Lotto

Marion Bartoli - Lotto

Lotto also showcased its spring apparel with both leading ladies Agnieszka Radwanska and Marion Bartoli opting to wear a relatively nice white dress. I am not a nig fan of this brand, but sometimes they manage to produce some decently looking clothes and I think this dress is a good example. The neon pink touches work brilliantly in this combination. One small critic for the Frenchwoman though, she needs to pay more attention to her accessories. I like the kaki, but she needs drop the red wristband immediately.

Novak Djokovic - UNIQLO

Djokovic might be the world number 1, but the Serb is certainly not looking the part in his Uniqlo clothes. The outfits, which were a collaborative effort between him and the design team, look like a sad pijama. Probably Novak wanted to follow the trends and go with a yellow-grey combination, but the extensive use the dull grey completely spoils the garments. 

READ ALSO: The 2012 Spring Fashion Scoop or The 2012 Spring Fashion Scoop

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Petko, You've Been Missed!

When it comes to the unluckiest players on the tour, Andrea Petkovic is a strong contender for the top spot. The German was struck by a never-ending series of injuries, which saw he drop out of the top 100 just when she was playing the tennis of her life. The latest was a knee injury she sustained during the Hopman Cup in January that ultimately forced her to miss the Australian Open. 

After taking time off to make sure she's properly healed, the charismatic Andrea attempted another comeback a few weeks ago, in Indian Wells. Although she lost in the second round of qualifying, she remained positive and hoped for a better outcome in Miami, where she was given a wildcard into the main draw. She took full advantage of it, battling her way through the third round where she lost a nail-biter against young Croatian, Ajla Tomljanovic. 

Talking about her trials and tribulations, Petko said: "I've changed. My coach actually laughs at me when I tell him I'm a changed person, but it's true. I don't get frustrated on the court anymore. I'm just happy to be back. I'm really enjoying every moment of it. I don't know how long it'll hold up like this - let's talk again in two months!

"But seriously, in my other comebacks I was really so intense and expecting myself to do great and be at the same level as before, but this time I came back with no expectations. A lot of people have approached me and told me they didn't think I would come back again, especially the people who know me, because I have so many other interests and could do other things I'd have a lot of fun with. But I felt deep inside this chapter isn't over."

She is a tough competitor and a great ambassador for the game, so I am really glad to hear she is willing to give it another shot. Her consistency took her to No.9 in the rankings, so I am convinced she can work her way back to the level she was at in 2011. Petko, we're glad to have you back!

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Nadal Completes Stellar Comeback

Rafael Nadal made a much-anticipated return to tennis in February, embarking on a Latin American tour to help his ailing body readjust to competition. The move proved wise, though it would still be a slow start for the Spaniard, who was lacking confidence and was a bit rusty in his first matches. He had to battle his way through the draw, but the drought of big names and the fact that he was playing on his beloved red dirt have helped him make the final. Somehow surprisingly, he lost the showdown to unknown Argentinean Horacio Zeballos, but as they says, you can lose a battle, but still win the war.

That's exactly what Rafa did, though he had to pass a stiff test in Sao Paulo first. Visibly shaken by the state of his knee, Rafa considered retiring at one point, fearing he could sustain another injury on those damaged courts. However, he toughed it out and was rewarded for his braveness. He made the final and this time around he was victorious, defeating his doubles partner, Argentinean David Nalbandian, in straight sets. He continued the winning run in Acapulco, where he completely dismantled his good friend, David Ferrer, in the final. It was such a convincing performance from the Spaniard, that it clearly signalled that the almighty Rafa is back.

Following such a busy schedule, Nadal thought about delaying his hardcourt return by skipping the two Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami. Last minute, he decided to give his body a challenge and he entered the draw in Indian Wells. The Spaniard again took a while to readjust. His fighting spirit was high as always though as he dug himself out of a big rabbit hole in his fourth round tie against rejuvenated teen sensation, Ernest Gulbis. After dropping the opener, he managed to come back, sealing a hard-fought 4-6,6-4,7-5 victory. The win proved a turning point though as it brought out Nadal's best game. Showing glimpses of his vintage best, the Spaniard eclipsed arch-rival, Roger Federer, as well as in-form Czech, Tomas Berdych, to make the final. 

As promising as Nadal's ride has been up to this stage, I actually expected Juan Martin del Potro to claim the crown. The Argentinean was enjoying a dream fortnight in the desert and was riding high following his stunning victories over US Open champion, Andy Murray, and world No.1, Novak Djokovic. Things looked on course for such an ending, but the Giant's inexplicable stumble gave the Spaniard the chance he's been waiting for. In true Rafa style, he did not let this opportunity slip, turning the momentum in his favour. To the disappointment of his opponent, Rafa proved unstoppable as he raced to an impressive 4-6,6-3,6-4 win. The Spaniard broke the record he shared with Federer, collecting his 22nd Masters 1000 crown.

It's been a tough journey, but Nadal has shown he is ready to defend his French Open title, i.e. his main objective for the season. He will take a break now in order to rest before the European clay-court season where he needs to defend titles in Barcelona, Monte Carlo and Rome.

While many were questioning his decision to return to hardcourts so early in his comeback, Nadal got the most of his trip to Indian Wells by winning the title. It was a tough week, but the Spaniard secured a record 22nd Masters crown by defeating Argentinean Juan Martin del Potro in the final.

Nadal made a return to the winners cycle by claiming the Sao Paulo title. In the final, he defeated Argentinean David Nalbandian.

He continued his successful return to tennis, by dismantling compatriot and good friend, David Ferrer, in the final to claim a second consecutive trophy, winning the Acapulco Open.

photos (top-down): GETTY IMAGES (x3), AP, ?

No 'Backing' for Federer

2012 was a fairytale year for Federer: he collected his 17th career Slam at Wimbledon, made an emphatic return to world number 1 and hold on to the spot to pass the 300 week mark. However, the Swiss didn't back up the sensational first half of the season, looking out of sorts and uncomfortable in the latter part of the year.

He showed the first signs of rust during the US Open where he lost in the quarterfinals to Tomas Berdych. The poor form continued, and he did not win a title since, eventually losing the year-end No.1 ranking and the ATP Masters crown to Novak Djokovic. In the early stages of 2013, the all-time great played a sensational match Down Under to dismiss Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. He again did not follow it up, losing an epic battle to US Open champion, Andy Murray in the semis. Since then, he failed to successfully defend titles in Rotterdam and Dubai, as well as Indian Wells, where he succumbed to his nemesis, Rafael Nadal.

To be honest, I am not really worried about the fact that he lost to a rejuvenated Nadal. However, the back problems and his inability to close out matches (e.g. the Dubai semifinal against Berdych) are rather disconcerting. At almost 32, the Swiss has recently stressed the importance of a wise schedule, something he has maneuvered extremely well throughout his career. In an attempt to stretch his career as much as possible, he will limit this year to only a few selected tournaments, where he can score the big points. Hoping to properly prepare for the French Open, Roger will take an eight-week break, his next tournament being the Madrid Masters, where he is the defending champion.

Federer has come back swinging so many times, that I don't want to announce the end of his era just yet. If he stays healthy and he is motivated to put in the effort, I am sure he can win at least one more Slam in the coming years. Even so, I cannot but feel that Roger is past his golden age. I mean he should be, right? It would be crazy to assume otherwise and to keep expecting him to win every tournament he enters. It would be inhuman and unfair. And after his stunning Wimbledon victory I feel he has given us more than his fair share of winning. Let's just enjoy him as much as possible from now on. Of course, his big goal is the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, but it remains to be seen how his ageing body will cope with the physical intensity of the tour. You go, Roger!

Troubled by a nasty back problem, Roger was clearly below par in the much anticipated clash with his nemesis, Rafael Nadal, at Indian Wells. He ended up losing the match 6-4,6-2, and will now take a 8-month break to heal and regroup before the French Open.

photos (top-down): GETTY IMAGES, Reuters, GETTY IMAGES

Drama Queen Strikes Again

Vika has always been a drama queen. That's probably what drew me to her in the first place. However I now feel that she has developed this tendency to a point where it's becoming annoying. She is prone to exaggerate her injuries. I remember only last year she missed the entire North American summer due to a 'so-called' injury, although she was playing the tennis of her life. Other player have accused her of 'faking' it too, most notably her good friend, Aga Radwanska, who complained she simulated an ankle injury during their match in Doha last year.

However nothing compared to the uproar she caused in Brisbane, in January, where she withdrew 30 minutes before her semifinal clash with arch-rival Serena, citing a 'so-called' pedicure infection. There were many voices accusing her of gamesmanship, but I probably agree that you shouldn't take on Serena Williams when you are not 100% fit. She waited until Doha where she finally broke her losing streak to the American in convincing style.

However, then came Dubai, and a decision I did not get. She had the chance to regain her No.1 ranking, Serena was clearly struggling with injuries, the draw was wide open, and yet she still decided to pull out last minute. It was the second straight year that the Belorussian has opted out of the Middle East event to the despair of the organizers. 

Entering Indian Wells as the main favourite, she seemed on course for a successful title defense, though, shock shock, she withdrew. It's true that she was battling an ankle injury, but she played with it and still won her last match with Urszula Radwanska 6-3,6-1. Therefore, I cannot but wonder how much of it was actually real. Probably that's the thing that makes everyone doubt her: she is dismissing opponents easily, and then, out of the blue, she cites some kind of an injury that takes everyone by surprise. And she does this quite often too, a fact that got her the not-so-popular title of WTA's 'Drama Queen'.

I really hope Vika is playing smart long-term and that she has good reasons to take this questionable decisions. However, I cannot but feel she is missing on some great wins due to her tendency to over-exaggerate things. Hopefully, she will turn it around and come back swinging in Miami. Vika I want you back on court winning! Let's do this!

Azarenka seems to have picked up the ankle injury during her fourth round clash with the younger Radwanska, Urszula. Although she won the match easily, Vika ultimately deciding to withdraw from Indian Wells, where she was the defending champion. She was scheduled to play Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.

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Maria Shows Strength

Maria's good form of late continued at the Premier event at Indian Wells, where the Russian reached the biggest semifinal of her career, stunning Agnieszka Radwanska and Petra Kvitova on her way to the last four.

Having won her first singles titles in 5 years a couple of weeks ago in Pattaya, Kirilenko decided to take a break from doubles and to focus entirely on singles. With a series of promising results, among which a quarterfinal at Wimbledon and a semifinal at the Olympic Games, she is hoping to crack the top 10 for the first time this season.

For me, the most important change I noticed in Maria is her attitude. Before she was a pretty face who hanged out with the big guns, but was unable to beat them. I felt she was giving up easy during tough matches and was lacking the consistency to get the results she wanted. Now she is more composed, more focused on her game, and is starting to show a fighting spirit that helps her win matches even when she's not playing her best tennis.  

Her result this week in Indian Wells is even more impressive as she took out two very difficult opponents. Agnieszka Radwanska has had a superb start to the season with titles in Auckland and Sydney, and she's beaten the Russian in their last five encounters. Hoping to avenge a heartbreaking loss in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon last season, Kirilenko started the match really motivated, crushing through the first set. Aga came back, but was unable to dismiss Maria's challenge, who showed nerves of steal to close out a superb 6-1,3-6,7-5 victory.

She followed that up with another stellar performance to end Petra Kvitova's eight-match winning streak. The Czech was finding some of her best form in the Middle East winning her 10th career title in Dubai, but her erratic display cost her the match.

With a newly improved mental game, Kirilenko goes on to face old-foe, Maria Sharapova, for a place in the final. Let's do this!

photo: GETTY IMAGES

Tsonga Redeems with Home Win

He probably did not have the start of the season he was hoping for, but Jo-Wilfried Tsonga made a menace in front of a cheering crowd to capture his 10th career title in Marseille. 

Instead of defending his Doha title, Tsonga started the year in Perth where he represented his country in the Hopman Cup. Consequently, his first tournament of 2013 was the Australian Open where he went on to reach the quarterfinals. Although he pushed all time great, Roger Federer, to his limit before losing a marathon match, the Frenchman's overall performance was clearly below par. His lack of focus became obvious during a stunning first round defeat in Rotterdam, where he succumbed 7-6 in the decider to unknown Dutchman, Igor Sijsling. 

Jo always performs best on home soil however, so he was eager to get back to winning ways in Marseille, a tournament he won once before, in 2009. He was slow off the blocks though and although he survived Russian Nikolay Davydenko, he ran into deep troubles against the hungry-for-success Aussie, Bernard Tomic, in the quarterfinals. Tomic won the first set and benefitted from 5 chances to close out the match, but Tsonga refused to give in, sealing an epic victory 12-10 in the third set tiebreak. The win provided a huge confidence boost and he went on to crush compatriot Gilles Simon to make the final. Facing Czech Tomas Berdych for the title was no easy task for Jo, as he needed to overcome a negative head-to-head record against an opponent who won three of their past four encounters. With the odds against him, he dropped the first set and looked looked to be headed for a straight sets defeat as Berdych created numerous chances on his serve. The Czech had break point at 5 all and then match point in the tiebreak, but Tsonga found the strength to get himself out of troubles, eventually levelling the dispute. In the decider, he broke at the second time of asking, building an untouchable advantage. He went on to hold serve for the rest of the match to complete a come-from-behind 3-6,7-6,6-4 victory. 

"I only focused on survival," he confessed during the press conference. "Nothing was going my way. He played far better than me in the first part of the match. He was serving well and my position on the court was bad. But I deserve credit because I never gave up. A lot of players would have done so."

Hopefully this win will give him confidence for the season ahead, especially as he is trying to recapture some of his wow factor. After his sensational run to the Australian Open final in 2008, when he announced himself as the next big tennis player, the Frenchman failed to really deliver. Although he enjoyed some pretty consistent results in the Slams, the exuberant Frenchman did not reach another final. A slightly more worrying aspect for him is that although he initially seemed to possess an advantage over the likes of Djokovic,  Murray, or Nadal, he watched as their careers took off while his stagnated. Since 2008, Novak won six Slams, Nadal eight, while Murray became a Grand Slam champion after his success at the Flushing Meadows last year. If he can close the gap on these players, Tsonga has a pretty strong chance of becoming France's long-awaited Grand Slam winner. You go Jo!

Exuberant Jo delighted the Marseille crowd coming from behind to win his 10th career title. He saved a match point before eventually subduing Czech nemesis, Tomas Berdych, 3-6,7-6,6-4.

photos: Yohan Brandt